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As the famous Stompin’ Tom Connors song goes, “the good old hockey game is the best game you can name,” and many local fans know this tune from our visits to our local arenas. Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena, the renamed and refurbished Cumberland County Civic Center, has been home to the Maine Mariners of yore (1977-1992), and currently the Portland Pirates (since 1993). Years of exciting games and American Hockey League (AHL) Calder Cup Championships have been won by our local teams. With the start of the new 2014-15 season, here’s a salute to professional hockey in the Greater Portland area.

Ice hockey has been played in the Portland area for much longer than professional leagues have been here- especially in local colleges (notably the University of Maine and Bowdoin College), as well as unorganized pond hockey. Before the arrival of the Maine Mariners (1977), in the brand-new Civic Center, an influential team was filling the stands in Lewiston: The Maine Nordiques.

In the early and mid-1970s, Portland didn’t have an ice arena large enough for a professional team. The Nordiques’ success prompted the game you see in the 2 Portland Public Library archival photos immediately below, taken on October 23, 1974. The Maine Nordiques (affiliated with the Québec Nordiques) took on the Flames- and won the game handily, 11-2, at Riverside Arena in the North Deering section of Portland. 1,200 fans were at that game, and in retrospect we can imagine the turnout helped inspire the idea of building a professional arena for a downtown team!

Maine Nordiques vs. Atlantic Flames, at Riverside in Portland.

A bit of sports trivia in the photo below: the Flames forward being thwarted by the Nordiques’ defense is
Mike O’Connell, who later played for- and coached the Boston Bruins.

The Maine Mariners, based in Portland, won 3 Calder Cup championships and many playoff wins, in their 15 seasons here. Their affliates included the Philadelphia Flyers, the New Jersey Devils, and the Boston Bruins. In the program below, you may notice the “black and gold,” from the Mariners’ latter parent NHL team. In 1993, the Bruins moved the franchise to Providence, Rhode Island.

The two Library archival photos below are from the Maine Mariners’ first Calder Cup title.

The Maine Mariners celebrate their first Calder Cup, 1978.

Fortunately, Portland hockey fans didn’t have to wait long for a new team to play here in the city. Just a year after the Maine Mariners became the Providence Bruins, the Portland Pirates began in fall 1993.

The Portland Pirates, originally affiliated with the NHL’s Washington Capitals flew out of the gates with their over-the-top home games and the Calder Cup, in 1994. Their current affiliate (after the Capitals, and the Buffalo Sabres) is the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. The Pirates’ 2014-15 season begins this week.

Just below are some Library archival photos from the Calder Cup final in 1994. In 6 games, Portland defeated the Moncton Hawks.

Above photo: Todd Nelson of the Pirates sends one in, with the Hawks in pursuit.

Below: Pirates goalie Olaf Kolzig makes a stop on Dan Bylsma of the Hawks.(More trivia: Bylsma went on to coach the Stanley Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins.)

The Portland Pirates with the Calder Cup, on the ice on Free Street, and (below) in front of Portland City Hall during the city’s festive parade and rally.

On September 9th at 7pm, PPL will host “Tell Me the Truth: Exploring the Heart of Cross-Racial Conversations” - FMI, click here.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

Shay Stewart-Bouley (black) and Debby Irving (white) as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st century racial dynamics.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

Shay Stewart-Bouley (black) and Debby Irving (white) as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st century racial dynamics.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

Shay Stewart-Bouley (black) and Debby Irving (white) as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st century racial dynamics.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

Shay Stewart-Bouley (black) and Debby Irving (white) as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st century racial dynamics.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

Shay Stewart-Bouley (black) and Debby Irving (white) as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st century racial dynamics.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

Shay Stewart-Bouley (black) and Debby Irving (white) as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st century racial dynamics.

Though conversation is a primary way human beings think together, fear of talking about race prevents us from using this critical tool. Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity.

Finally, Shay and Debby will offer suggestions to create racial justice habits that can move us from isolated events to sustainable connections.

- See more at: http://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/tell-truth-exploring-heart-cross-racial-conversations/#sthash.yhDlgLhx.dpuf

For many of us, talking about race feels difficult. It is easy to make a mistake and many of us are uncomfortable being vulnerable in public conversations. Yet, in 2014, it is relatively essential that we develop our capacity to understand race as an historical concept, to understand disparities in health, economics, etc. as they relate to race, and that we engage in conversations with those who identify as differently from us in term of race and ethnicity – to share our own racialized stories and to hear those of others. We need to collectively address racism to uphold the core values of Democracy, and we can’t address racism without more easily talking about race.

Pew Research conducted a survey this week, examining individuals’ response to the death of Michael Brown and subsequent protest activity in Ferguson MO and found that there are “stark racial differences” in how the events are understood.

This difference in perception and response reveals rich opportunities for civil and curious conversation, yet such conversations can also be challenging. We invite you to explore the Choose Civility collection, and recommended links and books to learn more about race and racism in the United States in preparation for our upcoming 9/9 program “Tell Me the Truth: Exploring the Heart of Cross-Racial Conversations” (7:00pm, Rines Auditorium, Main Library)

Did you miss the Friends of PPL book sale last month? Don’t despair! Portland Public Library is holding a supplemental book sale on Saturday, July 26 from 9 am – noon. We’ll have more than 5,000 items to choose from, all in good condition on a wide variety of topics and many with recent publication dates. This is a great chance to add some variety to your shelves, stock up for a house-bound relative or friend, or freshen up a collection.

100% of the proceeds from the book sale benefit PPL’s collections, programs, and outreach. This is a CASH ONLY sale. Hardcovers will be $1 each, and softcovers 50 cents each. Lovers of old cassette audio books and VCR material, we’ve got some oldie-but-goodie gems in the sale for you, too, at unbeatable prices.

This CASH ONLY sale will take place at PPL’s new off-site collections management facility at 1000 Riverside Street on Saturday, July 26 from 9 am to noon. There is ample parking on site. Our friends at Maine Historical Society will be holding a tag sale that day on site as well, with the sale of donated items benefiting MHS’s education and outreach programs. We know many library fans are also history enthusiasts, so you may find some bonus treasures on Saturday. (Details at https://www.mainehistory.org/programs_events.shtml)

We look forward to seeing you! Questions about the book sale? Contact Emily at 207-871-1700 ext. 759 or levine@portland.lib.me.us